Theme · liturgical

Lord's Supper

The roots of the Lord's Supper lie in the Passover meal, where Israel remembers deliverance through a lamb's blood. At the Last Supper, Jesus reinterprets the bread as his body and the cup as his blood of the New Covenant. Paul passes on this tradition and warns against partaking unworthily, for in this meal the church proclaims the Lord's death 'until he comes.' The meal looks backward to the cross, inward in self-examination, outward in corporate unity, and forward to the messianic banquet where Christ will drink the fruit of the vine anew with his people.

Passages expressing this theme

1Cor 10:16 — The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
1Cor 10:17 — For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1Cor 11:23 — For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
1Cor 11:24 — And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
1Cor 11:25 — After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
1Cor 11:26 — For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Acts 2:42 — And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 2:46 — And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Acts 20:7 — And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Exod 12:14 — And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Matt 26:26 — And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Matt 26:27 — And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Matt 26:28 — For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.